Going Down
by jayer
Summary: Reid finds himself in the middle of an interesting situation. Post Popular Kids
1. Chapter 1

"Sometimes I"m in the woods, sometimes in a building. I hear crying and I'm running, trying to find where it's coming from. I can tell it's a baby. The crying gets louder, like I"m getting closer but I can't find it."

"And what do you think it means?"

"It means?"

"Yes. Dreams, as I'm sure you are aware, Agent Reid, are a manifestation of our own thoughts. Our worries, our fears." The older gentleman smiled softly. "What are you afraid of?"

Reid sighed, realizing that he was staring at the floor and probably had been since he arrived. A part of his brain chastised him for falling into the old habit. He forced himself to look up.

"I'm not sure I can do this. I"m not sure I can do this job."

"What about your job are you unsure about?"

"I shouldn't be here. Not at the BAU."

"Why not?"

"The Bureau doesn't let you apply to be an agent until you are 22 and a half, and only then if you will turn 23 before you finish the academy. Then you are supposed to work a field job for two years as a probationary agent and then two years as a full special agent before you can apply for an advance position like the BAU."

"I see. So you were allowed an exception. Two of them in fact. And you are afraid of letting down the people that put so much trust in you."

Reid nodded. "That's part of it."

"And the other part."

"Someone's going to die because of me. I'll miss the shot, I'll make the wrong conclusion. Some innocent person that just wanted to live a naive life of never knowing the real monsters in the dark will die because I screwed up."

There was a long pause.

"Perhaps," The older man said finally, "You should quit. Find another job."

"Trouble is, I know what monsters are out there. And I don't think I can just forget them."

"That is a problem."


	2. Chapter 2

Reid glanced at his watch as he walked down the hall. If he hurried, he'd have just enough time to stop at the mall to pick up a couple of new books and get home before rush hour.

"Could you hold the door?" A voice called out as Reid stepped into the elevator. He looked up to see a young woman, hurrying down the hall.

"Thank you." She smiled as she stepped in.

"You're welcome." Reid smiled back. "So it's a boy?" He asked, noticing her shirt.

The woman laughed, "I got tired of people asking."

"I guess you would."

The elevator paused. A man and woman stepped in, slipping to one side as Reid and the young woman moved towards the other.

"Now is when you are supposed to ask me if I have a name picked out?"

"I am."

"Yep."

"Sorry, I'm not very good as this game."

"That's okay. I"ll teach you."

"Okay. So do you have a name picked out?"

"Not yet."

The elevator stopped with a lurch.

"Great." The man growled. He jabbed at the alarm button. They could hear the bells signaling that they needed help.

"Oooo." The young woman gasped.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Just a serious kick there. He's really feisty." She said with a grin. "Do you want to feel?"

"Feel?"

She reached out for his hand, putting it on her belly. "Did you feel that?"

"That was him?"

"Yep. Very ready to get out. And I"m not going to argue when the time comes."

"How far along are you?" The woman asked.

"Thirty eight weeks." Lauren smirked. "I need to sit down. Could you?"

"Sure." Reid helped her down. He sat down, leaning against the wall.

"I'm Lauren, by the way."

"Spencer."

"Well isn't this cozy." Lauren said with a laugh.

Reid looked at his watch. Five minutes, ten minutes, twenty. No one spoke. Reid watched as the older man jabbed at the intercom button with no reply. His mind filled with thoughts. The man was probably mid to late 40s. Middle to slightly upper middle class, but from the crisp suit he probably like folks to think he had more money. Probably lived in one of the nearby suburbs. The type filled with well kept yards and all the children's toys nearly stored in the garage. Not like the bicycles always in the driveway, teenage boys mowed the grass every other weekend neighborhood he grew up in. From the matching rings, they were clearly married, but their body language hinted at some turmoil.

"Does anyone have some water?" Lauren broke the silence. They all shrugged. "Just make me have to pee anyway."

"I'm sure we'll be out soon." the other woman said with a weak smile.

Reid felt himself drifting off in the silence. The chirp of his cell phone snapped him awake. He glanced at the readout. It was work. No surprise there.

"Reid." He answered.

"Reid, It's Hotch." The voice crackled on the other end. "I know I told you to take the day off, but there's been an incident."

"It happens. What's the situation?" Reid half whispered into the phone. His fellow passengers weren't paying attention and something told him it was better they stayed that way.

"Police in Montclair called for assistance. They have received a call from an unsub who has taken control of an elevator in one of their office buildings downtown. He's threatened to drop the elevator with at least four people inside if the police don't meet his demands. We leave in ten minutes."

"I"m not actually in Quantico right now."

"How close are you to Montclair?"

"Pretty close." An odd, almost sick feeling started churning in Reid's stomach.

"Good. The building is at 117 Fielding."

Reid gulped. "Hotch. I"m already at 117 Fielding."

"What?" There was a pause. "Reid, please tell me that you aren't in that elevator."


	3. Chapter 3

"The first kids she ever babysat were these twin girls named Lauren and Elise. My mom adored them."

"So your mother named you after them. Lauren Elise Christopher. Has a nice sound."

"I always liked it." Lauren laughed. "So what's your story?"

"It's boring.,"

"We've been stuck in an elevator for almost an hour with Mr and Mrs Anti-social." Lauren nodded at the older couple who were both staring at the walls, avoiding them and each other. "I'll take anything."

"Okay. My father's name is William Spencer. Actually William Spencer Junior. And according to my mother, he abhorred the idea of having a kid stuck with 'the third', but my mother really liked the name Spencer. So I got Spencer Michael instead."

"I like it." Lauren sighed.

"Are you okay?"

"Not really. Sitting makes my back hurt, standing makes my feet hurt. I'm thirsty. I'm hungry. And someone keeps kicking me."

Reid nodded, trying to keep his face calm. A part of him wanted to tell Lauren what was going on, but he knew that it would just panic all of them and that wouldn't do any good. Especially since stress could provoke labor and they weren't really in a position for any new arrivals. "They're doing everything they can to get us out of here. When they do, I"ll buy you dinner."

"You don't have to do that."

"I want to."

"Okay, but nothing fancy."

"Deal."

Reid jumped as his cell phone rang. "Reid."

"It's Hotch. You okay?"

"I'm stuck in an elevator. I'd really like to be anywhere else."

"We've got Garcia trying to hack into the elevator controls, see if we can regain control."

"You can't just climb down and get us." Reid whispered into the phone.

"He has control of the doors into the shaft and the only service entrance is booby trapped." There was silence.

"Hotch, What is it? What's going on?"

"Sorry, Reid. He just called."

"Did he say what he wants?"

"No. He just said that he wants us to understand how serious he is."

"What does that --"

Without warning, the elevator began dropping. Reid lunged to catch Lauren as she fell, trying to keep her from crashing to the floor. The other woman screamed as she slammed into the wall.


	4. Chapter 4

The elevator stopped as suddenly as it had begun.

Reid hit the floor, his arm slamming down underneath him.

"Lauren. Are you okay?" He strained to keep his voice calm, despite a sharp pain shooting up his arm.

"I'm fine."

Reid looked over at the other couple. "You?"

"I think I twisted my ankle." The woman replied.

"What the hell is going on?" Her husband barked.

A loud chirp filled the tiny room. Reid followed it to the far corner, where his phone was still in one piece.

"Reid." He answered out of habit.

"Reid." Greenway's voice came back at him. "Are you okay? Is anyone hurt?"

"A twisted ankle. I think I may have a sprained wrist. And a ton of bruises."

"They're okay." He could hear Greenway relaying the information.

"What the hell is going on?" The older man gruffly shouted.

"What was that?"

"Elle, what's going on?" Reid repeated into the phone. He listened, keeping his face still, as Greenway repeated the message they were receiving.

"Spencer, what is it?" Lauren looked at him questioningly.

Reid looked at the three of them. "Given the gravity of the situation, the only correct recourse is full and truthful discourse."

"What does that mean?" The man barked.

"My name is Doctor Spencer Reid. I am a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigations. The people I have been talking to are also agents. We work for the Behavioral Analysis Unit at Quantico." Reid paused. He knew the next words out of his mouth were going to be the hardest ones to hear.

"And?"

"And we are being held hostage by a suspect that wants ten million dollars and a private jet out of the country or he's going to drop the elevator another five floors every half hour until it reaches the tenth floor."

"What happens when it reaches the tenth floor?" The woman asked nervously.

"He lets it drop all the way to the bottom."


	5. Chapter 5

"When I was younger, I used to watch those cop shows on tv and imagine I was one of them. Catching the bad guys, saving the day." Lauren laughed. "So much for that dream."

"You could still do it."

"Oh yeah, I bet the FBI will just toss open the doors and welcome a single mom with an English lit degree." Lauren's laugh because a groan. "I really wish he'd take a nap."

"Not everyone that works at the Bureau is an agent. We have lots of people that aren't that help us with cases. Lab techs and researchers, stuff like that." Reid looked at his watch. They were getting close to the next deadline. Too close. "We have this one woman, Garcia. She's our computer guru. A hacker, but in the traditional meaning. Well sometimes the illegal one as well, but only when she has to. She's really smart, and I know smart"

"Aw, Reid. I'm touched." A voice came over the intercom. "I didn't know you cared."

Reid grinned. "What took you so long?"

"Peaches, what I want to know is how you keep ending up in the middle of these things?"

"The train doesn't count. I volunteered."

He could hear Garcia laughing. "Who's the blonde? And please tell me you just met."

"You have video too."

"You doubt my skills."

"Not at all, Garcia."

Lauren took a deep sigh. "The blonde is Lauren and she'll be your new best friend if you are smart enough to get us out of here."

"Working on it, Hot Stuff. I promise."

"Reid." A man's voice cut in. "Can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear, Hotch."

"I hate to mention this"

"The next deadline. I know."

"What are you doing about this?" The older man spat out.

"Our technicians are working on the elevator controls but the unsub has completely rewritten the system."

"A computer expert."

"Or has access to one. We are gathering the money but he's placed very strict demands, small bills, non-sequential. It's going to take time."

Reid looked around the small space. He wasn't exactly happy being there and he was at least mildly prepared for such situations. He couldn't begin to imagine how his three companions were feeling.

"We'd better get ready." Reid said quietly. He helped Lauren sit back down.

"How long?"

"About 30 seconds." Reid looked at his watch. "Close your eyes and try not to think about it."

"Reid, what if . . ."

He knew what she was thinking.

"He wants something and he needs us if he's going to get it. We're safe"

"For now."

Reid nodded. He took a deep breath. Knowing what was about to happen did nothing to quash the panic churning in his stomach.


	6. Chapter 6

"Everyone okay?"

"Yeah, Morgan." Reid sighed. "Not having a lot of fun. But we're okay."

"Hang in there, man."

"Garcia having any luck?"

"Nope. This guy is good. But don't worry we've got a plan B."

"Excuse me, Agent Reid."

Reid looked up from his phone. The until then silent older woman was kneeling next to Lauren.

"I think we may have a problem." She said, trying to keep her voice calm

"Morgan, I'll call you back." Reid flipped off his phone.

"Lauren, what's wrong?"

She gasped, her face twisting in pain. "This can't be happening. Not yet. Not here."

"It'll be okay, Lauren." Reid turned on his phone and dialed.

"Morgan."

"Whatever Plan B is, it better be fast."

"What's happened?"

"Nothing yet." Reid tried to keep his voice calm. "But if you don't get us out of here real soon, there's going to be another hostage."

"You mean?"

"Just get us out of here fast."

"I'm on it."


End file.
